Unexpected absence of correlation between the genetic mechanisms regulating β-carboline-induced seizures and anxiety manifested in an elevated plus-maze test

Among the ligands of the benzodiazepine site, one can mention the benzodiazepines as agonists and some β-carbolines (e.g. methyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate, abbreviated hereafter β-CCM) as inverse agonists. Most benzodiazepines and β-carbolines act on processes involved in memory, anxiety, and convulsions with opposite physiological effects. Since these molecules have influences on both anxiety and convulsions, we predicted that there would exist a genetic correlation between anxiety evaluated in an elevated plus-maze and susceptibility to β-CCM-induced seizures. Using inbred strains of mice, the genetic correlation was estimated with the Hegmann and Possidente model [31]. An absence of genetic correlation was found, showing that the mechanisms responsible for basal anxiety measured with the elevated plus-maze test and those leading to susceptibility to β-CCM-induced seizures do not share the same genetic pathways.